Days after a judge agreed to throw out his confession to murdering his sons, Chad Doerman has formally pleaded not guilty because of insanity.
Doerman was arrested on June 15, 2023, after allegedly shooting and killing his three young sons outside of their Ohio home. He is charged with nine counts of aggravated murder, eight counts of kidnapping and four counts of felonious assault in the deaths of Clayton, 7, Hunter, 4, and Chase, 3.
On March 15, Clermont County Judge Richard P. Ferenc granted a motion from Doerman’s defense seeking to throw out his confession after his arrest, ruling that his rights were violated. During the interrogation, Doerman asked for an attorney twice, but police continued to question him.
Part of Doerman’s argument for having the interrogation tossed was his “mental condition” at the time, but in his decision granting the motion Judge Ferenc ruled that justification for the claim was insufficient, noting that no evidence of Doerman’s state of mind had been offered at the hearing or in filings.
Judge Ferenc ordered a psychiatric evaluation to be conducted to assess Doerman’s condition at the time of the murders.
On Wednesday, prosecutors in the case filed a motion for a jury view, which would mean the panel seated to hear the case would be brought to the Doerman home at some point during the trial.
This story was originally published by Lauren Silver at Court TV.
